Sander with dust prevention means

ABSTRACT

In a sander of the type having a sanding surface which is worked back and forth over a painted or similar work area preparatory to the removal of said work area surface in particulate form, an improved means for minimizing inhalation of said removed work surface particles by advantageously using a portion of the pressure air powering the sander to immediately clear the work surface of said particles. The particles, which at that time are heavier-than-air, are accordingly not subjected to any excessive abrading which contributes to their conversion into lighter-thanair dust, and thus fall by gravity away from the work area rather than contaminating the surrounding atmosphere.

United States Patent 1191 Glasser SANDER WITH. DUST PREVENTION MEANS Melvin Glasser, 568 E. 85th St., Brooklyn, NY. 11236 [22] Filed: Aug. 15, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 497,733

[ 76] Inventor:

Schmid 51/1345 F Sept. 23, 1975 Primary Examiner--James L. Jones, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmBauer & Amer [57] ABSTRACT In a sander of the type having a sanding surface which is worked back and forth over a painted or similar work area preparatory to the removal of said work area surface in particulate form, an improved means for minimizing inhalation of said removed work surface particles by advantageously using a portion of the pressure air powering the sander to immediately clear the work surface of said particles. The particles, which at that time are heavier-than-air, are accordingly not subjected to any excessive abrading which contributes to their conversion into lighter-than-air dust, and thus fall by gravity away from the work area rather than contaminating the surrounding atmosphere.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures US Patent Sept. 23,1975

FIG. I

PRIOR ART FIG.3

SANDER WITH DUST PREVENTION MEANS The present invention relates generally to an improved pneumatic sander, and more particularly to a positive pressure system for such a sander which effectively minimizes the dust hazard during sanding service of the same.

The health'hazard of dust inhalation during use of a sander is of significant concern to require precautions to minimize or counteract this occurrence. For exam ple, it is already well known in the patent literature, such as-U.S. Pat. No. 3,815,292, to use a vacuum to remove the dust created during sanding service. However a vacuum pump is expensive, requires maintenance, and both it and associated equipment are particularly vulnerable to malfunction because of filter clogging and similar requirements.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved sander with an effective dust preventive capability, which overcomes the; foregoing and other shortcomingsof the prior art. Specifically, it is an object to utilize positive pressure air, rather than a vacuum, to minimize the dust hazard of a sander. Among other benefits, this permits merely diverting some of the pressure air powering the sander for this purpose, thereby obviating the additional cost of a vacuum pump, a filter, or likeaccessories. I

An improved sander demonstrating objects and advantages of the present invention includes a closed conduit loop operatively arranged in encircling relation about the body of the sander, and in proximate position to the surface to be sanded. Pressure air from the source powering the sander isdiverted through the loop and against the work surface to continually clear work surface particles as they are initially removed, and thus before any excessive abrading thereof into lighter-than-air dust is caused bythe sander. The dust hazard is thus minimized by correspondingly minimizing the creation of the dust in the first instance.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiments in accordance with the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are illustrative of a prior art sanding device and of the performance thereof. Specifically, FIG. I is a perspective view of a typical prior art sanding device; and

FIG. 2 illustrates a typical use of said FIG. 1 sander and, more particularly, the dust hazard which it creates during sanding service.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a first embodiment of an improved sander according to the present invention. FIG.

3 is a side elevational view of the improved sander illustrating structural details thereof; and

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view, in section taken on line 44 of FIG. 3, illustrating further structural details.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of an improved sander according to the present invention.

Illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 is a hand-manipulated pneumatically operated sander which is known, during sanding service, to create a serious dust hazard for the user 12. An important contribution of the present invention is the recognition of the major cause of the dust, and of an effective method and technique for preventing its occurrence. In this regard, a detailed description of the construction of the sander 10 is unnecessary, it being sufficient for present purposes to note merely that it is operatively connected via a conduit 14 to a suitable source of pressure air, such as a compressor or the like, and that this pressure air powers an internal mechanism 16 which actuates a sanding surface 18, consisting of sandpaper and the like, in alternating sanding strokes 20.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, not only is the sanding ordinarily cannot rise from the work area to a position I where they would be inhaled by the user 12. Typically, the head of the user is elevated above the actual work surface by a height, denoted by the reference numeral 28, which is usually about 18 inches.

An important contribution of the present invention is therefore the recognition that many of the particles 26 initially removed from the work surface 24 remain on that surface and are therefore subjected to excessive abrading during the sweeping motions 22 of the prior art sander 10. As a result, the size of the particles26 are significantly reduced until they form minute dust particles, designated by the reference numeral 30 in FIG. 2, which in weight are usually lighter-than-air. As a result, the dust 30 is capable and, in practice, does rise through the distance 28 into a position which contaminates the atmosphere for the user 12. For safetys sake, it is therefore necessary for the operator of the sander to wear a mask or otherwise take precautions against dust inhalation. This often is neglected because the mask is uncomfortable, or is usually misplaced and thus not available.

As a significant improvement and alternative to the wearing of the mask or the like, use is made of an improved sander having means for preventing the creation of dust 30 in the first instance. A first embodiment of such a sander is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the structural features of which that are similar to those already described in connection with FIG. 1 being designated by the same, but primed, reference numerals. The significant and distinguishing structural feature of sander 10 consists of the provision of a closed loop of conduit 32 which is operatively arranged in encircling relation about the body of the sander l0. Conduit 32 is provided with a select number of exit openings 34 in strategic spaced locations therealong. As in the case of the prior art sander l0, sander 10' is also connected to a source of pressure air via conduit 14', with the result that during sanding service of sander 10 there is a continuous flowing of pressure air in the form of streams 36 exiting from the openings 34 and directed against the work surface 24'. The important consequence of this is that the comparatively large particles 26, which as previously noted is the particulate form of the work surface when initially removed, are heavier-than-air, and said particles 26' are removed from the work surface 24' by the air streams 36. In FIG. 4, this removal is illustrated and denoted by the reference numeral 38. Naturally, the removal 38 of the particles 26 prevents the same from being exposed to any excessive abrading action of the sanding surface 18' which, as already noted, has the adverse effect of reducing the particle size to one in which it is lighter-than-air and in which it can then rise as dust 30 into an atmospherecontaminating condition as far as the user 12 is concerned. Good results have been achieved using exit openings 34 approximately 1/64 of an inch in size and oriented approximately at a 15 angle, but other ways of achieving the aforesaid particle-removing function 38 are possible.

In FIG. 5, a second embodiment of an improved sander according to the present invention is illustrated. For brevitys sake, structural features thereof which have already been described are denoted by the same, but double primed, reference numerals. Sander l differs from the sander of FIGS. 3, 4 in that the sanding surface 18" is embodied as part of a rotary member 40, rather than as a reciprocating member.

In both the exemplary embodiments of the improved sander of the present invention, pressure air for the particle-removing air streams 36, 36 is advantageously obtained by diverting some of the pressure air that is used to power the sander for this purpose. This may be done by any appropriate means, one such means being shown, for completeness sake, in the illustration of the embodiment of FIGS. 3, 4. This means consists of a valve block 42 appropriately connected, as at 44, to receive pressure air from the pressure air conduit 14. As best shown in FIG. 4, there is a tap-in opening 46 to the central opening 48 of the block 42 through which a portion of the pressure air is diverted to the loop 32. Adjustment of a screw 50, in threadable engagement in a threaded opening which interesects the tap-in opening 46, enables control to be exerted over the amount of pressure air that is diverted through the loop 32 for the particle-removing function 38. Block 42 also assists in mounting the loop 32 in its operative encircling relation about the sander l0.

From the foregoing it should be readily appreciated that the improved sanders l0, 10" are effective in minimizing the dust hazard to a user by eliminating the creation of dust in the first instance. In practice, this has proved to be as effective as vacuum dust-removal systems which are decidedly more complicated structurally, more expensive, and are more vulnerable to malfunction because of filter clogging and similar such defects.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure, and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

what is claimed is:

1. In a sander of the type having a sanding surface which is worked back and forth over a painted or similar work area preparatory to the removal of said work area surface in particulate form and having a pneumatically operated motor for powering said sanding surface, an improved means for minimizing inhalation of said removed work surface particles comprising conduit means in the form of a loop operatively arranged in encircling relation about said sander in proximateposition to said work surface, said conduit means having exit openings spaced along said loop in an outwardly angular orientation in facing relation to said work surface so as to direct said pressure air along an angled path against said work surface, and conduit means for said pneumatically operated motor connected to said loop for continually flowing pressure air against said work surface during sanding service of said sander, whereby said work surface is correspondingly continually cleared of removed work surface particles before any excessive abrading thereof into lighter-than-air dust particles by said sander. 

1. In a sander of the type having a sanding surface which is worked back and forth over a painted or similar work area preparatory to the removal of said work area surface in particulate form and having a pneumatically operated motor for powering said sanding surface, an improved means for minimizing inhalation of said removed work surface particles comprising conduit means in the form of a loop operatively arranged in encircling relation about said sander in proximate position to said work surface, said conduit means having exit openings spaced along said loop in an outwardly angular orientation in facing relation to said work surface so as to direct said pressure air along an angled path against said work surface, and conduit means for saId pneumatically operated motor connected to said loop for continually flowing pressure air against said work surface during sanding service of said sander, whereby said work surface is correspondingly continually cleared of removed work surface particles before any excessive abrading thereof into lighterthan-air dust particles by said sander. 